Nanny State

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Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, could have chosen to oppose the Government’s plans for childcare on the ground that they will not make care much cheaper, as they are intended to do. Instead, by concentrating on the spurious ground that children will not be safe he has revealed that his motives are political.

The minister responsible for childcare, Liz Truss, has proposed that nursery staff be permitted to look after four babies instead of three and six two-year-olds rather than four, as at present. This change is based on the practice in other countries, notably in France. Ms Truss